SSC and UPSC 2026: Photo and Signature Rules
Updated · PixKB
India's SSC and UPSC changed how the application photo works in 2026, and much of the advice online hasn't caught up. SSC's 2026 notices capture your photo live while you fill in the form, so there's no photo file to prepare. UPSC CSE 2026 asks for both: an uploaded photo and a live one. Both still need an uploaded signature file. These are the rules as the notices state them.
The rules at a glance
| Exam (notice) | Photo | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| SSC Selection Post Phase XIV 2026 (notice of 13 Apr 2026) | Captured live in the application; no photo size or KB range | JPG, 10–20 KB, about 6.0 cm wide × 2.0 cm high |
| SSC CGL 2026 (notice of 21 May 2026) | Captured live in the application | JPG, 10–20 KB, about 6.0 × 2.0 cm |
| SSC GD Constable 2026 (notice of 1 Dec 2025) | Captured live in the application | JPG, 10–20 KB, about 6.0 × 2.0 cm |
| UPSC CSE 2026 | Upload a photo (JPG, 20–200 KB) and also capture a live photo | Sign three times, one below the other, on plain white paper in black ink; one JPG, 20–100 KB |
Read directly from the official notices on 28 October 2026. UPSC's sizes come from its "Instructions for uploading documents" on upsconline.nic.in (dated 31 July 2025), which states no pixel size. Rules change between exam cycles: always check the notice for your exam.
SSC: live photo capture
The SSC notices say the application "has been so designed to capture real-time photograph of the candidate while filling up the application form". What they say about it:
- No cap, mask or glasses: "Candidates shouldn't wear a cap, mask or glasses/spectacles while capturing the photo."
- Don't photograph a photo. Capturing an existing photograph instead of yourself is rejected summarily.
- Clear and front-facing. "Poor quality, miniature and blurred photo/side facing photographs" are rejected, and so are blurred or tiny signatures.
- It has to look like you on the day. Your appearance at the exam must match the captured photo.
- No webcam? The CGL notice says candidates "who are unable to capture their live photo through web cam/mobile device are advised to use QR code" to download SSC's app and capture it on a phone. That's the fallback: a phone capture, not a file upload.
The notices also describe an exemption from some of these rejection rules for candidates who completed Aadhaar authentication; read your notice's wording if that applies to you.
Preparing for the live capture
You can't prepare the photo file, so prepare the conditions: sit facing a window or a lamp so your face is evenly lit, in front of a plain light wall, with the camera at eye level. Remove your cap, mask and glasses. Clean the lens. Look straight at the camera and fill the frame the on-screen guide shows. Have this ready before you reach the photo step.
UPSC: an uploaded photo as well
The UPSC CSE 2026 notice says applicants "are required to upload their photograph and also capture their live photograph". So for UPSC you still need a photo file: JPG, between 20 and 200 KB. UPSC states no pixel size. The UPSC photo preset makes a 500×667 JPG inside that range (the pixel size is our choice, since UPSC doesn't set one).
The signature file (both)
SSC: JPG, 10–20 KB, "about 6.0 cm (Width) x 2.0 cm (Height)". The SSC signature preset makes exactly that: 709×236 pixels (6×2 cm at 300 DPI), inside 10–20 KB, with the DPI recorded in the file.
UPSC CSE 2026: "sign three times (one below the other) on a plain white paper using a black ink", then upload one JPG of all three, 20–100 KB. UPSC states no pixel size; the UPSC signature preset fits the sheet into 500×500 pixels inside the range.
For both: sign in black ink on plain white paper, photograph or scan it in even light, and crop close before applying the preset. See resize a signature for our measured tests.
Outdated advice to ignore
Many resizer sites still offer "SSC photo 3.5×4.5 cm, 20–50 KB" or a fixed "UPSC photo 200×230 px". Neither appears in the 2026 notices: SSC captures the photo live, and UPSC's photo rule is 20–200 KB with no pixel size. If a page gives a photo upload size for an SSC 2026 exam, check it against the official notice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to resize a photo for SSC CGL, GD or Selection Post 2026?
No. The 2026 notices capture your photo live while you fill in the form. You only need to prepare the signature file: JPG, 10–20 KB, about 6.0 × 2.0 cm.
Does UPSC CSE 2026 need a photo file?
Yes. UPSC asks you to upload a photo (JPG, 20–200 KB) and also capture a live one.
What if my computer has no webcam?
SSC's CGL notice says to use the QR code to download SSC's app and capture the photo on your phone. It's a phone capture, not a file upload.
Can I hold up a printed photo to the camera?
No. SSC rejects a captured photo of an existing photograph.
Can I wear glasses for the SSC live photo?
No. The notice says no cap, mask or glasses/spectacles while capturing the photo.
What size is the SSC signature?
JPG, 10–20 KB, about 6.0 cm wide by 2.0 cm high. The SSC signature preset makes a 709×236 pixel file inside that range.
What's the UPSC 2026 signature rule?
Sign three times, one below the other, on plain white paper in black ink, and upload one JPG of all three, 20–100 KB.
Does UPSC state a pixel size?
No. Its upload instructions give only the KB ranges: photo 20–200 KB, signature 20–100 KB.